<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none;" alt="" src="https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=118459&amp;fmt=gif">

Employee Benefit News for School, City and County Employers

Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a powerhouse of energy, living by the mantra "work hard, play hard." As an expert in uniting teams for a greater purpose, Steve's innovative and creative strategies in employee health and wellness are game-changers. With over 25 years of expertise in health insurance, covering compliance, cost mitigation, utilization, analytics, wellness plans, and strategic planning, Steve is the go-to expert for driving down utilization trends and fostering a culture of well-being. His clients trust him to deliver exceptional results, making him an invaluable asset in the industry. As an Employee Benefits Consultant, Steve specializes in health care consulting for Minnesota public sector organizations including fully insured, self-insured, and stop-loss plans. Steve is a licensed insurance agent and holds the designations for Managed Healthcare Professional (The Health Insurance Association of America), Certified Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Professional (National Association of Health Underwriters), and Group Benefits Disability Specialist (Hartford School of Insurance).

Recent Articles by Steve Smith

2023 ACA Reporting Final Forms and Instructions

1.5 minute read

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the final 2023 forms and instructions for reporting under IRS Code Sections 6055 and 6056.

2024 PCORI Fee

1 minute read

The IRS issuedNotice 2023-70, which increases the fee for plan years ending on or after October 1, 2023, and before October 1, 2024, to $3.22 multiplied by the average number of lives...

Action Taken to Eliminate Medical Debt Impact on Credit Scores

1.5. minute read

The Biden Administration has announced a plan to ban medical debt from credit scores. Currently, having a low credit score can make it more difficult for a person to rent an...

ICHRA Use Increasing

1 minute read

In 2023, U.S. employers’ adoption of individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) increased by 64%, according to a HRA Council report. An ICHRA allows employers to...

2024 Open Enrollment Benefit Notices

3.5 minute read

Employers should be providing certain benefit notices to their employees at open enrollment time. This includes the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC). Other notices must be...

2024 Open Enrollment Checklist

1 minute read

For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, employers should be aware of legal changes affecting the design and administration of their plans. It’s important to communicate...

Guidance Revised for Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program

1 minute read

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare will soon be able to directly negotiate covered prescription drug prices (Part B and Part D). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid...

Navigating Health Plan Compliance: Fully Insured vs. Self-funded

3 minute read

When deciding whether to move from a fully insured health plan to a self-insured health plan (or vice versa), employers should consider the different compliance requirements for each...

Some Americans Skipping, Delaying, or Reducing Their Medications

1 minute read

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Interview Survey found that 8.2% of Americans aged 18-64 skipped, delayed, or reduced the amount of their...

HSA and HDHP Limits Increase for 2024

1 minute read

The IRS recently announced the inflation-adjusted contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and high deductible health plans (HDHPs) will increase for 2024.